Typically, movable barrier operators are difficult to implement with barriers installed on an incline (i.e. whether up-hill or down-hill), especially when heavy duty or industrial size gates are involved. Industrial-size gates installed in inclines, for example, suffer from gravity's pull, which continuously adds stress to the operator, usually forcing the barrier in the downhill direction. Often, this stress causes a back-drive of the gear to engage, which results in the movable barrier traveling to an undesired position; this causes problems such as leaving an undesirable gap when the gate should be completely closed.
Another similar problem occurs with movable barriers that swing open or close. These swing gates are difficult to install in environments that suffer from high winds. Most often, installers are left with limited solutions to windy environments and resort to installing a different type of gate; this resolve is typically undesirable.
Yet another problem, in windy environments, presents itself where operators are required to maintain a barrier open for long periods of time. These operators must fight back winds and sometimes gravity as well, in order to keep the barriers open in a desired position.
Still another problem is the unauthorized use of movable barriers by individuals trying to impermissibly gain access to a particular location. Such security breaches are often the result of individuals displacing a gate from its close position by use of force. Sometimes, individuals simply push a barrier manually, and other times vehicles may be used to, for example, open a swing gate to gain access. Such security breaches are undesirable in any scenario. Some manufactures have used solenoids or magnetic locks to add an extra “security” measure to prevent barrier movement. However, magnetic locks or similar mechanisms add cost and expense in components as well as installation and maintenance.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a movable barrier operator that can automatically respond to undesired travel-limit displacements of the movable barrier in order to keep a barrier's desired position intact. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed.